Former Fifty Fifty members set to re-debut as ablume
New York-based investment firm has proposed investing some $83.2 million in Massive E&C, K-pop agency behind ablume
Three former members of Fifty Fifty — Saena, Aran, and Sio — are preparing for a fresh start under a new name, ablume.
The trio has teamed up with Ahn Sung-il, the producer of their previous music and CEO of The Givers. Ahn will oversee the production of ablume's first album, which is expected to be released in the first half of this year.
Massive E&C, the K-pop agency behind ablume, reportedly reached out to Ahn at the group's request. Massive E&C operates as a subsidiary of NS ENM, an entertainment company that was formerly known as IOK Company.
The agency also announced Thursday that Ahn has officially joined the company to spearhead its global entertainment ventures.
Given Fifty Fifty's previous success in the international music market, including its breakthrough on the Billboard charts, Massive E&C expects significant global investor interest in ablume.
"A New York-based investment firm has proposed an investment of approximately 120 billion won ($83.2 million)," Massive VNC official was quoted as saying in local media. "We recently completed meetings and are in the process of finalizing discussions."
Fifty Fifty debuted on Feb. 24, 2023, with the first single, "The Beginning: Cupid." The main track, "Cupid," propelled the group to global fame, making it the fastest K-pop act to enter the Billboard Hot 100, landing at No. 100 just 130 days after its debut.
The song later peaked at No. 17 on May 20 and remained on the chart for 25 weeks -- the longest run for any K-pop girl group in history.
However, the group soon became embroiled in internal disputes. In June 2023, all four former members -- Saena, Aran, Sio, and Keena -- filed an injunction against their agency, Attrakt, to suspend their exclusive contracts, leading to a halt in group activities. They cited issues such as lack of financial transparency and neglect of their health.
Attrakt accused Ahn, who had been responsible for outsourced music production, of leading the members to break their contracts, labeling him as a key figure behind an alleged tampering attempt. The court ultimately ruled against the members' injunction request in August.
Among the four members, only Keena withdrew her appeal and returned to Attrakt, where she continues to work under the restructured Fifty Fifty with new members.
Following the court ruling, Attrakt officially terminated its contracts with Saena, Aran, and Sio and subsequently filed a lawsuit against them and Ahn, seeking damages. Legal proceedings between Attrakt and Ahn remain ongoing.
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